Monday, December 27, 2010

Bauls are India wandering spiritual minstrels of West Bengal whose ecstatic songs and dance reflect their joy, love and longing for mystical union with the Divine. To them the human body is the holiest of holies wherein the Divine is intimately enshrined as the "Moner Manush",the person of the heart. Baul philosophy emphasises love for all human beings as the path leading to the Divine Love. Romantic love to the Baul is the link between the human being and God. In fact, they believe that God is the eternal lover of the eternal woman which is the human soul. The word "Baul" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Baul" which means "mad". Bauls are free thinkers who openly declare themselves to be mad for the God who dwells within us all. Among others, Bauls use the following instruments:

1. TABLA - the high drum.

2. BAYA - the bass drum: commonly known as a set of TABLAS. Capable of a myriad of different sounds and tonal combinations, these are the most popular drums of North Indian classical music.

3. EKTARA - literally "one string". This one string drone instrument is used to accompany singers into he folk traditions of many regions of India. In addition to plucking the strings, the skin head is also struck like a drum to provide rhythm accompaniment.

4. GUNGAROO - these ankle bells add to the orchestration as a singer plucks and beats his ektar, creating a kind of one-man-band effect. Classical dancers use a much heavier set of gungaroos with many more bells to create startling rythmic counterpoints to the slapping of their feet against the floor.

5. DOTARA - a folk instrument much like it's classical cousin, the sarode, and not unlike it's western relative, the fretless banjo. Plucked with a coconut shell pick, the strings are depressed with the fingernails of the left hand, rather than the finger pads as in a guitar or violin. the finger nail becomes like the slide on a slide guitar. My dotar has an electric pickup built into the bridge, which is normally made of elephant teeth, I am the first Baul to do fusion music, then I made an electric mandolin, and added more instruments...

"The first Dotara used by Bauls was by Gopal Das Baul in the early 1940's he was the husband of Radharani Dasi Baul ( Babu's aunt who was the biggest most famous Baul women ever.) Gopal Das Baul was the disciple of Nabani Das Baul. Nabani asked what Gopal wanted because he was such a wonderful student, of all my students you are the best, and Gopal said I want to marry your daughter, Radharani, he said allow me to be in your family and take care of Radharani all my life.. Gopal Das was pure Vaishnava, a true sadhaka.Radharani was the first official Baul to record for all India Radio... In 1960's there was movied call Raikamal made about Radharani's life, wrote by one of Bengali's top writers, Tara Shankar. In 1985 a movie called Togori was also made about Radharani's life.. A very historic family Lineage of Bauls....

Gopal Das was the son of the Ekchakra Nityananda Temple, and he was a great sweet maker. Nityananda Mahaprabu was a Baul and from this lineage."

6. CHIMTAS - combination rhythm instrument fire tongs, and weapon used by Sadhus (wandering mendicants all over India). Sri Nabani carried this because he was a ardent wandering Sadhu.

7. HARMONIUM - portable pump organ, introduced to India by the missionaries, this little reed organ has become one of India's most popular instruments, perfect for 2 finger typists like myself - the left hand pumps the bellows while the right hand plays the keys. Babu's mother Manju Das Baul introduced the Harmonium as a Baul instrument, she played the Harmonium all over the world during her 0ver 50 years of traveling the world with her husband Purna Das Baul and her son Babukishan Das Baul. They played at places in London like the Royal Albert Hall, South Hall, Hyde Park, Carnegie Hall in New York.

8. KANJIRA - small frame drum. Used by both folk and classical musicians. This one has a goat skin head, but usually the head is made from a lizard skin.

9. KARTALS - finger cymbals. Great for making a lot of noise while singing Kirtan (chanting the names of God).

10. SMALLER KARTALS - for the quieter moments.

11. GUBGUBBI- (also known as Khammak) - an inverted bongo drum with two gut strings attached from the inside of the hide to the membrane on a small cup. You put the bongo drum under your arm, pull on the cup and pluck the strings. This is the most popular instrument of the Bauls of Bengal. It's also called "anandalahari" - waves of bliss. The name Ananda Lahari was a name given by Sri Nabani Das Baul, (Babu's grandfather.)

12. GOPI CHAND Yantra- this one string instrument allows you to change the pitch by squeezing the bamboo sides. The tighter you squeeze, the lower the note gets, until the instrument breaks and you have to get a new one at the corner gopi chand store. The name Gopi Chand came from Babu's lineage, The Vaishnava Lineage Bauls of Bengal.

13. DHOLAK - 2 headed barrel shaped drum popular in all sorts of Indian folk music.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Purna Das Baul was the first to record this in his father's tune, Babu Kishan was the second to record his Grandfather Guru's song but in his tune. Now there are literally hundreds of people all over India singing this song without any idea where the song originates.

This Lineage the only Lineage of Baul is the Path of Radha.

This is a Nabani Das Khyappa Baul song, singing by his Grandson Babu Kishan in a combination of styles of his father Purna Das Baul and Grandfather Nabani Das Baul. Purna Das Baul first recorded this in the 1960's Hindustan Records. It has already been recorded and preserved by this family of Baul long ago.

Purna Das Baul was the first to record this in his father's tune, Babu Kishan was the second to record his Grandfather Guru's song but in his tune. Now there are literally hundreds of people all over India singing this song without any idea where the song originates.

This Lineage the only Lineage of Baul is the Path of Radha.

This is a Nabani Das Khyappa Baul song, singing by his Grandson Babu Kishan in a combination of styles of his father Purna Das Baul and Grandfather Nabani Das Baul.

What Nabani Das is saying,

The song is of the silent love which is the deepest intimacy of love expression, that takes place silently between beloved Krishna, and Radha. This profound deep love flows back and forth between Radha and Krishna. They do not want to lose eye contact.

I will keep you in my heart always and never let you go, because if the golden person of my life krishna goes I will never, ever get this person again, there is only one, there is no other for me, Krishna is my other half.

Krishna is invisible, love is invisible, everyday you have to say I love you, I love you, I love you is the mantra. Love is like that out of site out of mind, you must constantly remember your beloved.

Radha always keeps in her heart, the place of Braja. This is where the pastime of Krishna and Radha take place..the memories of her play with her love Krishna.

When Krishna, and Radha are out of sight of each other, there is a strong feeling of speration, of deep loss, so they never want to be out of sight ...they want to gaze into each others eyes every moment

They are they are constantly pulling each other, constantly focused on each other. Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart, Mind to Mind, always remembering their deep Love.

Nabani is saying, "I want to go to Braja and take the dust of Braja, spread all over my body, let it seep into my sould, I want to keep them in my heart on my body forever and never to forget.. so I can feel Radha and Krishna, and their intimacy lila. I want to become Radha/Krishna in every pour of my being.

I want to be mad in the name of Radha..

Vaishanava Baul brings the male and female into one body. Radha, and Krishna live in their hearts, they view Radha as superior because she has the power to pull Krishna. You will not a Baul never shaves their heads, the reason for this is Krishna has hair, and remember half of them is feminine so they like to wear ear rings also.. They want to emulate Radha too. This is their Lila.

I only want to be in a deep bhava crazy for Radha God intoxicated for Radha, mad in Radha's name in oneness with Radha..and Krishna

When Kirhsna smiles all the birds fly, deers play, flowers sing, everything becomes alive in Beauty, Colors become brighter.. It is Radha who makes Krishna smile.

Krishna was ugly so black, but his smile made him beautiful, Radha made Krishna smile, she made him beautiful, all the gopis became alive, everybody woke up, everything was God intoxicated, alive, happy, vivid, bright, awake, ecstatic. This is exactly how a Baul should make you feel. A Baul activates Shakti. Baul is the path of Radha.

When Radha and Krishna have eye contact, "which they do not do in Indian culture with anybody, you only have eye contact with your beloved, only your beloved can look into your soul."

They would feel I want to be in eye contact, and I will gaze and go inside feel love..soul mate love. The love is in the eyes, the gaze of deep soul love.

How many millions of years I have been traveling one life, to one, to just get this human body so I can feel Radha and Krishna in my soul, if I sing beautiful Krishna, the king of the flute will be kind to me, and come to me and then I will never let go Radha says Krishna is Peace Krishna say Radha is peace, they are soul mates.

Ok quickly Babu just translated, he feel we will not understand the deepness of this song.. there are not word to translate this old Bengali, It take days of talks to understand.

Babu Kishan thinks western culture will not understand the depth..I will try to get more later and try to do a better interpretation, but it is really hard.. because these songs are just seeds of higher philosophy.

Babu Kishan recorded this song in Woodstock New York at the Bearsville Studio of Albert B Grossman's studio where Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, recorded, his father recorded here back in 67 during Woodstock.

Babu recorded in 2004 with Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Al Aronowitz, Patty Smith, and Robert Thurman, Dave Mathews present they danced, and danced while Babu was recording.

Thanks to his long time friend Sally Grossman, Dave Mathews, said he had never heard anything like it, Babu did not have a clue who Dave Mathew was? Babu said it was lots of fun to make them dance, as they all really enjoyed.

Copyright 2017 all rights reserved

Very strange to have to copy right any of this but others are taking these stories and making them their own. It is NOT a joke.

Bauls do not have temples, they had ashrams, not too long ago there used to be 22 now there are only 2, our goal is to preserve this dying tradition, and create a Baul ashram in Bengal for all Bauls, new Baul singers, lineage Bauls, Sufi Bauls ect .. so that they have a place, so that they at least can preserve this tradition. Most new Baul singers are singing regular Folk Songs, there needs to be a place to educate them correctly on Bauls songs, Baul Sadhana a place for philosophical discourse... Bauls are sadhaka's, sadhika's, and are poets, philosophers, they speak sanskrit, they are peacekeepers, and spiritual guru's, teachers.

The Bauls also need a place to perform, to survive in this world.. they need education, medical care, and food. They need hope, there is too much poverty, they need a solid ground to stand on in this changing world. This was Babu's dream years ago. but due to difficult family karmas he was not able to complete this.. now is the time... for a Baul ashram in Santinekatan, and one outside of India...This is our Cause, so that the Bauls are given a chance at an authentic education, and survival.

One thing I would like to add, is Babu would rather not do any of this, he is guarded about his spirituality, sort of letting the cat out of the bag, for many reasons, it is a double edged sword, he holds his secrets close to his soul. There is a saying that I learned in Tai Chi, and I observed from my Sifu, he never gave anything outright, he made you do research, encouraged deep inquiry, encouraged us to develop the inner master, "Never give pearls to swine." I see this with Yoga, all the changes, commercialization of Yoga, money, money, everybody is an authority.

A mystic never talks. On one hand Babu wants to preserve his ancient oral living tradition, and on the other hand he does not like being used, he does not like the distortions mad by new Baul singers who make it so trivial, or by scholars, who are making it up as they go.

Most of the Bauls traveling in the name of Baul are not actually Bauls, I have heard the term shilpis, shilipis are singers who are making up lineages based upon so called Baul Guru's who are not even Baul, they dress like Bauls, or should I say they dress like Purna Das Baul, they even out number the Bauls today, the real Bauls are poor, and in a desperate situation. People are talking to the Shilipis and thinking they are Bauls when they are not, these Shilipis have convinced people they are Bauls, that the western concept of Tanrtric Sex and smoking ganja is Baul... Sex today sells, this is a good way to make money, and a huge distortion on the real deeper meaning of what it is to be Baul, the Sadhana, practice, Guru lineage, seva the real message Baul..

There are many people who love the Bauls freedom who take it the wrong way, and are committing all sorts of bad behavior in the name of Baul, they are drinking, smoking ganja, they are treating women badly, all in the name of freedom, and Baul. This is not Baul. Yes a Baul may smoke ganja, but only a Avadhuta for spiritual purposes.. they are advanced yogi's not regular people. The difference is they smoke ganja, the ganja does not smoke them, and only an advanced yogi who lives away from regular people preforms this ritual.

Women have always been treated with respect. Today people come to the Baul Mela's thinking there is a freedom, but a real Bauls freedom is inside.. not outside... the real lover is inside.. the tantra is on a energetic level.. a soul level. The Baul women need respect.

Everything has been so distorted in the name of Freedom...people from all over the world with huge misunderstanding of who, and what these indigenous beings are..they are constantly used, scholars, filmakers, journalists, but does anybody give anything back to the Bauls.

Some of these indigenous Bauls have not been able to handle all of the attention, and this has also led them astray... the 60's created a great influx of different ideas, and values for the Bauls, they were exposed to the 60's and were sought out by the freedom seeking foreigners, this has not helped the Bauls but has created a certain amount of damage in their actual way of this.... They after all are humans, and this has happened with indigenous cultures all over the world.

Our goal is to educate all Bauls on what is Baul, and what is not.. To be as accurate as possible... and provide a ground, a place for the indigenous Bauls, and all Bauls of the Heart, to survive in this changing world. They need medical care, food, shelter, education the basics first... then like any indigenous culture they need to preserve their songs, their poetry, their yoga, their way of life... and to do this properly, they need the basics first.

Babu is an indigenous Baul, yes he is also experienced in the world, and the first educated Baul, and feels the weight of the responsibility to come forward in a big way and preserve his tradition, he has been given so much, and to those who have been given much, he feel the responsibility to give back, and create this ashram as it was supposed to have created years ago, he must complete what he started on 20 years ago, but again due to difficult family karmas, his dreams were destroyed many times.

Babu comes from a Baul lineage, a Baul family that has been Baul for thousands of years. Only his relatives come from this lineage, there are a very few who are initiated into this lineage, mostly because Bauls like true Yogi's do not share the secrets easily. A Baul may have told many westerners you are Baul, and they go, and form a group called Western Bauls, a Baul will always tell you ... yes you are Baul.. they do not care. However, to be a true Baul is so different, you must be with a Guru for years and years, you will have learned the songs, you should know sanskrit because the oral tradition is transmitted in sanskrit.. You must be a poet, philosopher, musician... a sadhaka, sadhika..

Baul is not a tourist attraction, it is not something you learn a few songs, perform at festivals, dress the part and you are a Baul... it is more than that.. it is deep, it is not easy, it is being in the world and not of the world.

However, I must qualify myself, and the "Ektara Baul Foundation," I am pushing Babu to reveal, and speak out about his lineage, about who he is, about his life..I want Babu to realize his dream of preserving his lineage, the only lineage of Baul, if it is not his lineage, ther is no lineage Baul, because no other group of Bauls has a lineage..

Even though he has written books in the past, and tried to preserve his tradition traveling for 40 years, he has not been successful, all one can say is I guess God/dess wanted him to experience more, like losing everything, and being in Indonesia at the time of the tsunami in 2004.

I in no way want anybody to think, this is easy, that this is something Babu even really wants to do again, he would be quite happy to just be Baul by himself, and forget the past.. It is I who am pushing him... As a westerner I am realizing there is much we just do not understand, layer upon layer of what it is to be an indigenous Indian, what it is to be from an oral tradition. I am humbled, and learning.

What he has experienced in his life, is beyond, beyond, and the Saints he has met do not exist on the planet anymore.... I can not imagine, to be near a Saint and have the ground shake as they walk by, the universe respond in such a way that everything moves. To see the miraculous happen all the time, life and death. Babu is an extra-ordinary person, and yet a simple human being, a big huge walking heart with 2 legs sticking out, with a fire that burns.

His experience are his, and I am the one who is pushing him, to reveal more. Believe you me, it is not easy, and when he does reveal something, I have to be ready, or I will not catch it, it comes out, and he will not repeat it, or should I say he is learning to repeat it. It flows like a river turning into a fire, catch it or it is gone, and certainly do not ask again, because if the fire is flowing, and you stop it, it can burn, and yes there is a love there I have never experienced, I am thankful he allowed me to join him in that place so deep.

I have taken this as my cause, preserving the ancient oral living lineage of Baul.. Vaishnava, Tantric, Bhakti, Sufi, Buddha Baul of Bengal... they like to move around, be on their feet, a mystical moving wandering, shaman just cruising by this space at this time....

We have been living in Vancouver for the past almost 2 years, it has been the longest Babu has been in one spot except for when he spent 12 years in the Ramakrishna ashram but then he traveled around the world with his parents on breaks. There is constant movement, and in that movement, a constant sadhana, whatever one is doing, where ever one is in this world. Om shanti...

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Baul Philosophy

That is why, brother, I became a madcap Baul. No master I obey, nor injunctions, canons or custom. Now no men-made distinctions have any hold on me, And I revel only in the gladness of my own welling love. In love there's no separation, but commingling always. So I rejoice in song and dance with each and all."-- Rabindra Nath TagoreThe Hibbert Lecture, Oxford, 1930

A very rich branch of hindu devotional songs (sangeet) or hymns to goddess Kali - presumed to the source of all energy (Shakti). The Vaishnava Bauls have Krishna, and Radha installed on the alter of their soul, they worship the soul in their own body, the body is their temple.

Tantrik sadhus (monks) and household people alike, for fear or for love of Kali, sing Shyama's praise on the streets, in the paddy fields, on river boats, in the village. Kali, in these songs, is the metaphorical mother whose kind attention and favour is sought with utmost eagerness to help with all material and spiritual problems. Lyrics are generally written for appreciation of the ordinary people -but often may involve themes and concepts far beyond their reach. Similarly, the compositions of the musical notes are for average persons' consumption but may at times touch the pinnacle of the most difficult of Indian ragas. They also sing songs of Indian Philosophy, Yoga, shastra, and Krishna and Radha, all things Indian from the oral tradition, not from books.

Baul Philosphy & Sadhana

Baul is a song of universal love.., mystic expression.. and spiritualism...Bauls are Peacemakers, their songs are of peace, and love between all races, all people, all castes, all religions. Bauls are not pedantic, they feel everybody is qualified, everybody is bonafide to love. They accept all. Bauls are the original Das, and Dasi from thousands of years ago. They are the original Hare Krishna singers, and dancers in Bengal. Bauls do not put other people or religions down. They incorporate pearls of Buddhism, and Sufi, they are masters of the energetics of the human body. They use the indigenous medicine of India, Ayurveda, and embrace the science of Light, Jyotish, in a natural way, learned orally, passed down through time word of mouth, from family to family over thousands of years.

Bauls are music Masters, they are musicians, singers, they sing their poetry. They are Poets. A baul always has a qualified Guru, one from a lineage, so that the teachings can be passed down through time.

A song of Universal Love:

Bauls do not believe in any conventional mode of worship, still spiritualism forms the main root of their philosophy. What need, they say, have we of temples and churches when in this body of ours, the supreme spirit has his abode? The human body despised by most orthodox religions in thus for them the holy of holies wherein the divine is intimately enshrined as the "Man of Heart".

The Baul is the wandering mytical minstrel, journey from place to place ( village to village), dance in ecstacy and sing songs joy, love and longing for mystical union with the Divine. Their language is simple and their deep thoughts and mystical experiences are clothed in home spun words and metaphors of village folk. They are free thinkers, performers whose livelihood depends entirely on donations which used to be freely given.

The word Baul has come from the ancient Sanskrit word "Batul" which means mad. Bauls seek their own person throughts out of their songs. Their sadhana is singing spiritual songs. Although it has some folk characteristics typical Baul song is not like other folk songs. It's tune is rural in character like the folk song but the theme has deep significance through their songs, the wandering minstrels, try to focus on the importance of the soul in the human body. According to Baul philosophy, the soul or the "Maner Manush" is nothing but the God within oneself who has to be percieved and realised through inner enlightenment. Baul origin can be traced back to the 16th century, the time of advent of Chaitanya Deva, and Nityanada Mahaprabu, who was a Baul, Nityananda had been singing the Hare Krishna Mahamantra long before he met Chaitanya. Nityananda gave the Mahamantra to Chaitanaya who then started his Gaudiya Vaishnavism revolution. Nityananda's Baul lineage had been singing the Mahamantra for thousands of years previously. There is so much that has been writtne on this subject that is completely false, the story has been changed by ambitious reformers who have had agenda's of creating, and reforming what they deemed to be not controllable. You can never control, or capture a Baul..they are freebirds... they deserve to fly free of pedantic, religious control, free of rules and regulations, they are lovers of love, where they believe everybody is qualified, bonafide, they are already philosophers, they know what to do, they know what material nature is...

A song of Mystic expression:

Baul speaks about the universal mysteries of life is simple words to touch the heart of common man and a Baul singing and dancing in ecstasy with an "Ektara" (single string instrument) in hand represents the finest specimen of folk song tune to the soil of Bengal and its culture.

A song of Spritualism:

Bauls do not believe in any conventional mode of worship, still spiritualism forms the main root of their philosophy. What need, they say, have we of temples and churches when in this body of ours, the supreme spirit has his abode? The human body despised by most orthodox religions in thus for them the holy of holies wherein the divine is intimately enshrined as the "Man of Heart".

The Baul is the wandering mytical minstrel, journey from place to place (or village to village), dance in ecstacy and sing songs joy, love and longing for mystical union with the Divine. Their language is simple and their deep thoughts and mystical experiences are clothed in home spun words and metaphors of village folk. They are free thinkers, performers whose livelihood depends entirely on donations which used to be freely given.

The word Baul has come from the ancient Sanskrit word "Batul" which means mad. Bauls seek their own person through out their songs. Their sadhana is singing spiritual songs. Although it has some folk characteristics typical Baul song is not like other folk songs. It's tune is rural in character like the folk song but the theme has deep significance through their songs, the wandering minstrels, try to focus on the importance of the soul in the human body. According to Baul philosophy, the soul or the "Maner Manush" is nothing but the God within oneself who has to be percieved and realised through inner enlightenment. Baul origin can be traced back to the 16th century, the time of advent of Chaitanya Deva, this lineage is the lineage of Nityananda Mahaprabu, who was a Baul, he is the original Hare krishna singers, and dancers from thousands of years back.

A Baul is who searched for God in the human. He becomes mad by worhsipping man and remaining in trance of joy, the Baul ascends above good and bad. Bauls are a class of Indian saffron-clad folk singers who mostly live in huts or rural Bengal. They are fond of both Hindus and Islam religions. The religion of the Baul is within man. His God lives in his body, hence he soul that lives in human body in his God.

Since God, the soul the Maner Manush (the immortal soul) lives in all human beings, he finds no difference between man and man. Universal brother/sisterhood is their religion.

Bauls songs are sources of peace and tranquility of the disillusioned and dissatisfied modern people. Peace and tranquility do not come from the outside. You cannot discover it by travelling from one corner of the world to the other.

The Guru occupies a vital position in the life of Baul. The Baul sees the Guru in two forms: as a person and as a soul, the form of God/dess. Unless you have devotion to the person Guru, God. It is a total surrender to the Guru and nothing is secret to the Guru.

The Baul is aware of the transitoriness of the body, they are not obsessed with death. The believes in the immortality of the soul. The Baul and his beloved are the reincarnation of the Radha-Krishna love consciousness. Roop/Rup that which is seen is full of pain and pleasure, it is man or woman but swaroop - the unseen, the immortal and timeless is Krishna in man and Radha in woman. The union of Radha and Krishna is Chaitanya/ Nityananda swaroop. Bauls sings and dances from village to village for the realisation of supreme spirit within and the universal love of people. There are very few real bauls left, as the village is becoming extinct..

THE TRUE STORY OF THE ONE AND ONLY LINEAGE OF BAULS OF BENGAL, BOOK RELEASE AFTER 30 YEARS COMING 2018.

PLEASE STAY TUNED. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CLARIFY WHAT IS BAUL AND WHAT IS NOT? NEW BAUL SINGERS ARE CHANGING THE AUTHENTIC INTO MADE UP STORIES.

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Baul Scholar, of the Oldest Living Lineage of Bauls of Bengal

ancestor and lineage of Sri Nityananda of Ekkchaka West Bengal, and thousands of generations before.

This is the oldest living lineage of Baul on earth. Babukishan is the only Baul living in North America now residing between Mumbai and Vancouver Canada.

BA Indian Philosophy, Kolkata UniversityMA Indian Music, Kolkata University

"Master of Baul, Indian Classical, Indian Folk, Baul Fusion, World music and Indian Cinema Music"

Babu Kishan Das born 1962 in Suri, Birbhum, West Bengal, India into the legendary Nabani Das Baul's family and the Baul lineage of Sri Nityananda of Ekkchakra West Bengal in the 1500's, Sri Nityananda was a Baul this is recorded in the oral lineage and written lineage. This is the Baul lineage who introduced Baul to the world starting back in the1940's & 1950's, they are the pioneering family, if not for them no one would even know who the Bauls are? This lineage is the root of the Baul tradition. They opened the door for all future Bauls to carry on the Baul tradition around the world. This lineage and family has been performing on the biggest of world stages, festivals, lecturing at Universities, around the world for more than 60 years.

Babukishan is a Lineage Baul, music composer, music director from India, he was born into a family of music, poetry and Indian Philosophy, he has composed over 150 musical scores, and produced some 44 albums, He has composed and recorded most of his father's music.

In 2007 Babukishan was awarded a Lifetime Achievment award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.

Vaishnava Baul is an oral tradition, the stories are recorded in the songs. Babu is the eldest son of Purna Das Baul and the late Manju Dasi. Manju Dasi is the first Women Baul to travel the world starting back in the 1960's until the mid 2000's she traveled every corner of the globe and performed on every stage, her story is truly what legends are made of. Manju was an extremely talented musician, an HMV/EMI and Polydor artist. Manju was the first Female Baul (Baulini) and perhaps the only to date to be a"A class female Baul singer in India" she was the first Baul to introduce Harmonium to Baul, before her the Bauls did not use the harmonium. Manju was the first Baul to introduce official Lalon Fakir songs to Radio, TV, recordings and film.

Babukishan was traditionally trained in the oral tradition of his Baul lineage in Sanskrit, he learned this from his grandfather and others in his Baul family, learning by hearing and remembering, "this is the way it was done before books, it is called having the lineage passed to you orally, as in storytelling." As a inborn mystic and musician he started composing music, and writing poetry before he went to grade school.

Babu spent 12 years in the Ramakrishna Order as a Vedic Monk, where he learned book knowledge to go with his oral teachings. Babu says, "he does not trust books, they are fine but they leave out important information and are mostly personal opinion depending on the translators agenda."

It is a paradox, books are good, however, all of India's knowledge was an oral tradition where people dedicated their lives to keep, preserve, pass on and hold the spiritual knowledge of India within family lineages. Guru is the way but today there are very few qualified Guru's, or qualified disciples.

How can one trust a Guru there are so many taking advantage, Guru's are big business, making more money than any Bollywood star. He has seen his share of failed Bollywood actors ect.. turn to the Guru business. Commitment between Guru and disciple is endless and strong Unless one has a Guru books only give a small sample of the story, there are layers upon layers that are passed down Guru to Disciple.

The problem in finding a Guru is, you will be tested, the question should be, "Am I a disciple?" to be a disciple is a huge commitment. Most of us just want to have fun, feel good, and be God/intoxicated, unfortuatly the Guru/Disciple is not fun, or easy and is not a feel good experience all the time because you will be shown all those place that we avoid? Who wants to sit and do the work, the sadhana that is involved, most of us would just rather not.

Babukishan's Baul Guru's are "Baul Saint" Sri Nabani Das Kyappa Baul, Brajabala Dasi, Purna Das Baul, his aunt Radharani Dasi and many others from this lineage. Some of the other saints and guru's he had personal relationships and his favorites were Ananadamayi Ma, Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath and many other unknown to the western world.

He has associate with many stories of others, like Balakbramhachari, Maha AnandaMaharaj, Sathya Sai Baba, Dhirndra Bramhacharya, Osho, Sant Nirankari, The Shankaracharya's of India, including many unknown in the West ...Baba's and Ma's because Babu started traveling India and being exposed to all first through his grandfather a wandering Avadhuta Baul Saint and then through his famous father Purna Das Baul traveling the world many times from age 10 on ward now for 40 years as a Cultural Representative of India.

His musical repertoire is like the who is who of Indian music from lineage teachers of Indian music, and the best coming out of Bengal to the best of Indian Cinema or (Bollywood.)

BabuKishan is probably one of the very few living authentic authorities alive today regarding the Bauls. He is starting to speak now because he is seeing a prolific amount of mis-information on Baul by the many scholars, PhDs, new Bauls singers and writers who are lacking information in what the authentic Baul lineage is really about. Each day he see's another story or more speculation on who the Bauls are, it is almost becoming a joke.

Nabani Das Baul his grandfather named Babukishan, "Krishnendu" he kept Babu the moment he was born, with massage and Ayurveda he was able to straighten tiny Krishnendu's crooked limbs. Krishnendu was his Baby Krishna and he took his Krishna everywhere with him, as he wandered India. Babu spent the first 8 years of his life in the highest of spiritual energies and his grandfather left him a huge spark of himself when he passed away.

Baul really started to change over the past 30 years with the influx of foreigners, hippies, Bangladesh refugee's into Shantiniketan. Many refugee's and others who saw being a Baul as a way to earn a living started to turn Baul into begging and a great way to make a living without doing sadhana, dress the part, sing a folk song, being a Baul became a great way to survive. Baul's were offered Dakshina as Guru's and spiritual messengers. Today they deserve to be paid appropriately for the grace and musical skill they bring, Bauls should not be used or asked to perform for free when the world has changed, so should how we treat the Bauls change.

It also is the fault of his own lineage but you can not blame them as Bauls have always been used and marginalized. Bauls do not share openly, and times have changed, the correct information on lineage Baul needs to be passed on as accurately as possible or it will be gone forever, and Baul will just be a tourist attraction. Being from North America it reminds me of the rich culture of the North American idigenous people and how their shamanic traditions, are also suffering the same fate.

Baul is a "Guru" based tradition, oral living lineage tradition, the lineages were passed down in familes this is common knowledge in India. This is how Baul was passed from father to son, mother to daughter, however, Bauls always included all and it was not uncommon for a Baul to take someone into their family.

There is a huge misunderstanding on what Baul is because there were in the past many people wandering through Bengal when the first writers started to speculate about the nature of Baul. They lumped all these wandering souls together under one umbrella calling them all Bauls but in fact very few of them were actually Bauls. Fakir, Sai, Aula, Dervish, Shah actually are not Baul. Only a Lineage Baul knows exactly what a Baul is, not a scholar or a new Baul singer, the account of Baul history comes from "inside" the tradition not from "outside" the tradition or from speculation. Speculation about the Bauls has gone on from the beginning of time and it continues today, all one outside the tradition can do it but speculate. Scholars from outside the tradtion can only speculate.

Baul songs are not folk songs, they are spiritual sadhana's and one must complete difficult sadhana's before one can call oneself a Baul. There is a misconception that singing folk songs on a train or on a street is Baul.. Baul is a difficult sadhana learned under a Guru for years and years or perhaps a whole lifetime. There is no I am initiated ... the initiation into Baul goes on for a lifetime.

Baul is about the SOUL, pure LOVE, Monar Manush as in ecstatic union with the divine in the highest of loves, the love between Krishna and Radha as soul mates. Bauls do not worship the body for mundane purposes. The body is worshiped as the temple for the divine, the soul is situated in the human heart, Radha and Krishna live in the "altar of the heart with the soul in the human body."

Vaishnava Bauls are the original Das and Dasi, Gosai, (Goswami) lineage in West Bengal India. They have been singing the Hare Krishna Mahamantra for thousands of years wandering from village to village, as the morning wake up call to the people of the villages, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna... Bauls believe in Monar Manush in soul mates. Krishna's flute is always calling Radhe ..Radhe..Radhe and because of Radha's connection to Krishna and their love for each other Radha and Krishna are the original soul mates. Bauls know all the philosophical arguments, they are Indian philosophers, they just have a rare take on all the pedantic othodox bantering.

Love and Devotion, Traditional Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan, ecstatic song and dance. Bauls are natural, spontaneous Bhakti Yogi's, Poets and Philosophers. The soul is not in the temple the soul is in the human body residing in the heart. Bauls do not believe in caste, creed, they believe in the Soul. Ask your soul?? the body will lie, the mind will lie but the soul will tell you the truth.

Most of the people writing about Babu's lineage either cut and paste from internet or are talking to the wrong Bauls and new Bauls singers who are not trying to preserve the lineage they just want to travel, or create something new. At this point The Bauls of Bengal are almost extinct and it is time to preserve what is real it is not a time to make it up. Perhaps the New Bauls are saying they want to preserve Baul however, how can you preserve something you do not own. A gift is given by the owner of the gift, as in Sampradaya, or lineage. If the gift has not been given by a lineage Baul how can something that you do not own or have be given to other.

That respect also should also include who wrote the songs that Bauls are singing? Most do not even know where the songs came from, who wrote the songs.. they do not even know the history of Baul.That love and respect include acknowledging the Baul Guru's of the past as in Nabani Das Khyappa Baul and those who walked before him. One by one we will be writing about each and every Baul back to Sri Nityananada and beyond.

Most teachers passing on Baul are only passing on the limited information that they have picked up here and there. I am a researcher and I ask Babu who is this, who is that, this Baul is saying this person is their Guru, who is that, and he knows the whole history of who everybody is, where they came from, how they got involved in Baul, he knows what songs they are singing, who wrote the song, and more importantly whether it is a folk song, a Baul song and sometimes they are even singing Bollywood songs?

These neo Bauls today are just making a mess of what Baul is, they lack sadhana and the god intoxication the energy that come from doing Baul Sadhana. Baul is not about singing folk songs it is sadhana, years and years of sadhana. Babu has been preserving his lineage for 40 years and has seen it all. The most recent wave is that Baul is only about sufi, or that Baul orginates in Bangladesh and Persia? Baul is about neo tantric sex and smoking ganja?

Baul has become just one big regular party, the few real authentic Bauls are not to be seen or will not share anything.

It is not easy to be a Baul, it takes at least 12 years 24/7 under a guru. Not too long ago there used to be 22 Baul ashrams now there are only 2. Bauls do not build temples, raise money for temples, or collect devotee's as in orthodox religions.

Babu's family has been singing to help out so many groups, and temples ect.. helping fund raise money for their causes, giving free performances for years and years.

Now the Bauls need help, I pray these groups will also come to the assistance of the Bauls through the Ektara Foundation. We are now fund raising to preserve this lineage, through the Ektara Foundation and the Bhava project (Baul Historical Ashram and Vedic Academy).

The real authentic Bauls are in deep danger of extinction. The poor Baul children need education, food, medicine and we want to pass on this tradition properly to them so at least they can preserve and have right livelyhood. This is our seva, more information to come, please stay tuned. We are in the beginning phases of setting this up, it will under Babukishan's name with a board of directors.

Babukishan under the name Krishnendu Das is the author of 3 books on Baul printed in the 1980's to be republished and expanded soon. George Harrison and Ravi Shankar helped him publish his last book in 1986, all to be republished soon.

Babu was raised in the village by his grandparents"Baul Saint Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul and Brajobala Dasi." Babu lived a lucid life in the highest of spiritual energy, and was initiated by most of the Saints, Sadhu's, Siddha's, Guru's, Yogi's, Tantrics, Nath's, Avadhuta's, that lived during the 60's, & 70's,80's, 90's, most who have left this earth long ago and many who are completely unknown outside of India.

Nabani Das Baul was an accomplished "exalted Tantric Avadhuta Baul Saint" accomplished in the Bhakti Sadhana's of Krishna and and Avadhuta Sadhana's of Shiva and Kali (Tara Ma) he was a famed Baul Guru Poet who millions of people came to see from all over India, he is also one of the Guru's who little has been written about because his nature was to keep private.

Nabani Das Baul inspired everyone from Rabindranath Tagore to "American Poet Allen Ginsberg who claims Nabani as his guru, he inspired common people to the highest intellectuals. Nabani Das Baul was the first and last Guru to teach Baul philosophy at Rabindranath Tagore Vishva Bhartai University in Shantineketan and was Rabindranath's Baul. Tagore gave Nabani Das the name "Khyappa" he was the first Baul to be called this now many are calling themselves this name. Nabani gave Tagore the name Robi (Ravi) Baul.

You can hear all the Bauls singing Nabani's compositions, however, you will not hear them acknowledge his songs, in the 70's new Baul singers arose who were jealous of Purna Das Baul and his fame as millions would come and see him, some even tried to kill him by poisoning him almost to death, this started a movement away from the truths of the lineage, new Bauls were creating new stories and promoting that Baul is about neo tantric sex and creating new lineages that did not exist before?

Babu is a poet, composing an unlimited amount of poetry from standard 1 onward. His poetry was published in all Bengali magazines under his name Krishnendu and pseudo names for years. He was known as a great romantic poet who attracted untold attention at a very early age. He is first Baul to compose Fusion Music, His compostitions made it easier for other Bauls to experiement.

As a composer Babu has worked with all the top Indian musicians, singers, and legendary Indian music guru's. He spent 13 years with RD Burman in Mumbai. Total 30 years in Indian Cinema composing Bollywood music, meeting all of the Bollywood legends, promoting Bollywood singers, again promoting others, and completely forgetting to promote himself. Babu worked behind the scenes and is the most well know person behind the scenes in Bollywood. This is a book in and of itself.

Babu Kishan is a unique intangible masterpiece of Bengali History, he is a rare gem, multi talented and an ocean beyond ocean of knowledge. He is the encyclopedia of Bengali, Bollywood, Indian Philosophy, Indian history with a photographic memory. A yogi who believes one must be in the world and not of the world. Times are changing fast! A Baul is for the world, and has an important message of peace, and unity.

by Trishula Sandra Das, his wife, supporter, and Baul transcriber for over twelve years 24/7 !

Babu Kishan (The Bauls of Bengal) - After clicking, Video appears, top right hand corner of blog.

EKTARA Foundation is a Non profit Organization for the preservation and translation of their songs and practices. This one and only ancient Oral living lineage of The Bauls of Birbhum Bengal under the Direction of Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan. Baul is already preserved and was recorded decades ago. Now we need to translate and protect. How else would the new Bauls be singing the songs if they were not recorded and this has proved a great problem because most new Baul singers do not know the poets and are making up stories, watering down and reducing this lineage so that they may attain fame.

Baul should only be preserved by Lineage Baul, there are many copying what we are doing. All of sudden fake lineages are coming out of the woodwork and they say they are fundraising in the name of Baul. There is only one lineage of Baul, the rest are making up stories, use your discernment.

Babukishan is the only one representing his lineage, not his brothers nor his 84 year old father these days. Please use your discernment when supporting someone who says they are a lineage Baul or preserving Baul and know Baul is already preserved by this the only Lineage of Baul. We started this project back in 2008 and Babu started preserving his dear Baul back in the 1970's.

"BAUL Historical Ashram & Vedic Academy" BHAVA"

(Preserving a traditional authentic Living Baul Lineage of Bengal India)

International Baul Ashram

Most new Baul singers are singing regular Folk Songs, there needs to be a place to education and Baul Sadhana a place for philosophical discourse... They also need a place to perform, to survive in this world, they need education, medical care, and food. They need hope, there is too much poverty, they need a solid ground to stand on in this changing world.

This was Babu's dream years ago but due to difficult family karmas he was not able to complete this now is the time for a Baul ashram in Santinekatan, and one outside of India. This is our Cause, so that the Bauls are given a chance at an authentic education.

BabuKisha has been traveling, preserving, promoting his "only" Lineage Baul for more than 40 Years.

www.babukishan.org Krishnendu Das Baul, aka Babu Kishan, is from an Authentic Oral Living Lineage Vaishnava Baul Lineage. The Lineage Bauls are from Bengal, and are Vaishnava, they always have the name "Das or Dasi" in their name, actually a Das or Dasi Baul is always Vaishnava first. The Bauls, who are Fakir, Aul, or Sai, Dervesh, are "Bauls of Bangladesh", they align themselves with the great poet of Bangladesh," Lalon Fakir, who originates from the 1800's.."whom the Bauls of Bengal also love. Lalon Fakir was born a Hindu, but was taken in by a muslim family. The difference is in that the Lineage Bauls have been around for thousands of years, and although they embrace pearls of Buddhism, and Sufi.Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare || Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare || हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे || हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

K D Babukishan's beloved Grandpa Guru Baul Saint Avadhuta Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, the Name Khyappa was given to Nabani Das by Rabindranath Tagore, Nabani was Tagore's Baul Guru and he named Tagore Robi (Ravi) Baul. Nabani Das Khyappa Baul is the first Baul to be called Khyappa Baul, now many are following in his footsteps and calling themselves Khyappa. Tagore also took pictures of Nabani and had a stature made in his honour. He is the first and last Baul to teach at Tagore's university in Shantinekitan... When Tagore is talking about Baul it is Nabani Das he is talking about...Nabani never wanted to be found or known... He was a real sadhaka..Some say Bauls are beggars but this is not true.. they do not have temples nor do they collect devotee's... Bauls are free, free birds, they believe and worship Radha and Krishna in the soul... They worship the soul, the most high, they are God intoxicated, it is wrong when one says they worship only he body..The Body is the temple, the soul is inside the body..The voice is the insturment, music is the way..Baul songs, Baul kirtan, Bhajanas, mantra, bija mantras, Bauls are the original Hare Krishna singers and dancers of West Bengal India..

Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul & his wife Brojabala Dasi, Babu's grandparents & Guru, these are the true lineage of Baul...Das Gosai, they are Brahmin caste, even though Baul is said to not have caste, however, the lineage bauls are brahmin, that is why they speak sanskrit, but they do not show it.. Nabani Das took the Gosai part off of his name because he never wanted anybody would touch his feet..Touch your own feet, bow to the divine within yourself.

"Baul Saint Guru Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul" Wandering exalted Avadhuta Baul - Bauls are poets, philosophers, they spoke sanskrit, this is how they passed along the oral tradition for thousands of years, then singing the songs in Bengali to the people of the villages. They have roots, deep roots in the soil of Indian philosophy from the soil of Bengali. Maybe the new age Baul singers do not have roots but the lineage Bauls have thousands of year of deep roots recorded in their songs.

Legendary Brajabala Dasi My Guru!

Babu Kishan's beloved Grandma (GURU) Brajabala Dasi, JAI GURU!!!! NAMAH NAMAH!!!! Babu says, he is lucky to have been born, to have grown up around the original lineage Vaishnava Bauls and Baul Saints in a very Spiritual atmosphere, this does not exist anymore. There are very few if any authentic Bauls left, they are extinct in the oral tradition and this is the only Lineage of Bauls there is no other, there never was. The women Bauls in my family including my grandmother Brajabala Dasi, my Aunts and my mother Manju Dasi, my Great Aunts Phulorani Dasi ,Radharani Dasi, Chintamoni Dasi, Triguna Dasi, were real sadhika's, similar to Mira Bai Sadhana, it is not easy, they are very rare, and the last Baulini's, they do not exist today." .... Rabindranath Tagore said, Nabani Das Baul is the last real Baul."Tagore said Nabani was a "Baul Saint." This Golden time is gone, now all we can do is follow them. There is no such thing as a legendary Baul today.. Even my mother Manju Dasi was a legendary as she traveled the world for 50 years..Today people try to be real but it they can not even compare to the lives of these women and who they were, all we can do is try to follow them. Their stories will be told these amazing women Bauls, Gosai Dasi Baulinin Women..

Birbhum West Bengal the soil of Mystic Baul Lineage

Babukishan in Haridwar India

Babukishan at the Vedanta Society in Los Angeles, he was a Vedic Monk Ramakrishna Order for12years

Vedic Monk for 12 years in Kolkata, BA Indian Philosophy, MA Indian Music Kolkata University.

A typical Baul village in Birbhum West Bengal

Bauls of West Bengal

Babu's Baul Logo

Tribal women from Bengal

Radhabinode Temple in Kenduli Birbhum the Bauls have a mela here called the Jayadev Mela.

The Bauls hold the Gita Govinda of Jayadeva in high esteem whether he is form Orissa or not.

Babukishan produced CD in honor of Sai Baba.

The last book Babu published in 1986

Laxshman Das Baul

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul making Ektara's

Bauls at the Big Pink in Woodstock 1967, the photo is Nabani Das Baul

Sri Chaitanya and Sri Nityananda who was a Baul

Baul of Bengal Stamp

Nabani Das Khyeppa Baul

Manju Das, Purna Das and Babu @ UCLA 80's

Babukishan Laguna Beach California 2008

The Mystic Bhakti of a Living Master.

Babukishan in Rishikes @ Sitaram Omkarnathji's ashram 2007.

Bengal Baul music with Purna Das Baul and others.

Purna Das Baul, Manju Dasi, Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan

Sri SitaRam Das Omkar Naths Ashram in Rishikesh

Krishna lives in the heart of the Baul, they worship Krishna in a inner natural way. There love of Krishna is a God intoxicated Love, they are the original Hare Krishna Maha Mantra singers, and dancers, the original Das, & Dasi, of West Bengal. They are Rasa Lila Mystics. Monar Manush, soul mates..

Babu with his Khol in Hyde Park before concert at Royal Albert Hall

Babu Kishan @ The Roundhouse 2009 Vancouver

Nabani Das Khyappa Baul phot by Rabindranath Tagore.

SitaRam Das Omkar Nath ashram outside of Rishikesh

Babu with George Harrison who published Babu's book.. The Bauls of Bengal 1985

Krishna turns himself into Kali because Radha's husband is wondering where she is going, he see's her as worshipping kali for the family.. If Kali is Ok for Krishna to turn himself into, and for Radha to worship she is good enough for everybody.. The Bauls worship Kali also.

Babu's tradition Baul album called Gypsy Indian

Bauls do not like male power trippers, rules & regulations, but that does not mean they do not know the rules of the universe. They understand ayurveda, the science of life, the science of life, the principles of yoga, and all things Indian, they are not Pedantic.

Babu's book published under his name Krishnendu Das , Babu has been preserving his lineage for 40 years now, if it were not for Babu, nobody would know about the Bauls of Bengal..

Sri Nityananada .. was a Baul, if you notice he always has hair, there are songs in the oral tradition that verify this.. He is from Babu's lineage of the original Hare Krishna singers and dancers, he met Sri Chaitanya first and was his best friend, he gave the Maha mantra to Chaitanya and taught him how to chant and dance... this has been the Baul way for thousands of years...it was a part of Nityananda's life from birth. History has been distorted, and stories retold because of ambitious new age Vaishnava reformers, Jai Nitai... Nityananada was a Baul.

Beloved Sai Baba, he was very similar to Baul in that he embraced everyone. Babu feels his grandfather in Sai Baba

Baul fusion, Mystic Sacred Song, Soul Mat by Universal

Babu in Rishikesh 2007 at the SitaRam Das Omkarnath Ashram

Babu at Pous Mela.. Pous Mela in Shantinekatan was created by Rabindranath Tagore in honor of Babu's grandfather Sri Nabani Das Baul. People come from all over the world to attend this Mela.

Tara Ma Tarapith Ma, Shyama Ma,

Kolkata, West Bengal

In the villiage where Babu is from they had a huge Ratha Yatra cart, they worshiped Jaganatha, next to the Jaganatha temple was a Kali temple.. they embraced both.. Baul loves all.

Dakinishwar Temple outside of Kolkata, West Bengal.

Vaishnava Bauls have worshiped Radha/Krishna for 5000 years since the beginning of the story, this particular lineage is the lineage of the Great Baul Avadhuta Saint, Sri Nityananada Mahaprabu Baul, the untold story, Nityananda was a Baul, the history of this is recorded in the songs of the Baul oral living lineage, Jai Nitai, this lineage is the original lineage of Das, and Dasi..

Babu with the Khol, his mother Manju Das, father, 2 brothers, many years ago.

Babu Kishan's Guru, Baul Saint, Avadhuta Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, photo taken by Rabindranath Tagore who was a very close associate of Nabani, he created the Pous Mela in honor of Nabani Das, and there is a bridge there he also named in honor of him, called Nabani Setu. Rabindranath gave Nabani the name Khyappa Baul, Nabani influenced alot or Rabindranath's poetry, Nabani gave him the name Ravi Baul..

2007 Ali Akbar's birthday party, Babu and Zakir Hussain, Babu has know him and his brothers since he was a kid..

Nick Jagger of the Rolling Stones beside Babu's father Purna Das Baul, and little Babu in 1971, he would have been about 9 years old.. They were staying at Mick's place in Nice France recording an album. Babu's father did not really know who Mick Jagger was, he was just a distracting dancing man to him, they were guests of Mick Jagger's, and had come by arrangement of Mick Jaggers manager, after the fundraising concert for Bangladesh that was held in London. When they came a limousine picked them up, the driver was Mick Jagger.

Sri SitaRam Das Omkar Nath, whom Babu loved. He was intitiated by him, and still wear the Ram Shawl given to him by Sita Ram Das Omkarnath, Babu always say what a beautiful smile he had, and that he spent 30 years in caves, he was a Saint..

Babu, and George Harrison 1985, George along with Ravi Shankar assisted Babu in the republishing of Babu's book, The Bauls of Bengal

Babu, Sufi Books New York 2004

Ekchakra West Bengal.. the Birthplace of Babu's ancestor and Vaishnava Baul of Bengal 500 years ago, Sri Nityananda Mahaprabhu Baul, not only that his Aunt Radharani Dasi Baul married the Ekchakra Temples Pujari's son.. Gopal Das Baul the first Baul to incorporate the Dotara into Baul

Bhakti Fest 2010, Joshua Tree California

Sri Saraswati, from Durga Puja Pandal in Powai Mumbai Durga Puja 2008

Rare photo of Kali Ma taken by Babu Kishan can also be viewed on www.trishuladas.com

Babukishan aka Krishnendu Das Baul in Rishikesh

Babukshan in Vancouer

Babu Kishan's guru Nabani Das Baul

A Baul singer with Ektara

Ananda Lahari

The temple wall of the Radhabinode Temple, where Jayadeva wrote the Gita Govinda

Jayadeva was born in Orissa but wrote the Gita Govinda here. The Bauls being poets hold Jayadeva in high esteem.

Durga Puja Calgary Canada

Lineage Baul friend Kali Dasgupta

SD Burman loved Nabani Das Baul's music

Lineage Baul Nabani Das Baul, Purna Das Baul and Babukishan,

Lineage Bauls instruments from Babu's family.

The Bauls of Bengal Album recorded in 1967 in America

Bauls of Bengal, Young Purna Das and Laxshman Das Baul

Mirror of the Sky... Babu and George Harrison who helped produce Babu's book Bauls of Bengal 1985

Babukishan @ Sitaramdas Omkarnath Thakurs ashram in Rishikesh 2007

Ecsatic Baul

Bob Dylan's album, John Westly Harding, Babu Kishans, father on the right..and his Uncle Laxshman Das Baul on Left.. and of course Bob Dylan in the middle..

For thousands of years the Bauls instrument of Peace is the Ektara or Gopi Chand, and the Kamak or Ananda Lahari, (Mystic Drum)

Babu at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York with David Amram Master NY music conductor, and New York's top musicians

Lineage Baul's roots are DEEP, in the soil of Bengal, their roots are DEEP reaching to heaven, pulling heaven to earth..Radha and Krishna are enshrined in the alter of their heart, that is why they do not have temples.... the deities are installed in their heart..in their soul.. They believe in soul.

Baul in Newport Beach California

Babukishan with his Baba and Ma!

Sri Sitaram Omkarnath's ashram 2007 Rishikesh

Babu and Sultan Khan one of the best Sarangi players, performing together at the Royal Albert Hall 80's sitting together in the Royal Albert Hall green room.

Some Albums by Babukishan

Press in Mumbai re: Babukishan

Babu with the Baul insturment of Peace.. Ektara.. San Diego 2003

Ektara, the Vaishnava Baul symbol for peace.

Babu and the great Master, Ali Akbar Khan whom Babu has knew since childhood.

Ravi Shankar and Babu, he is a family friend, Babu has known him since his childhood.

Mirror of the sky produced by Babukishan, the name, " MIRROR OF THE SKY" is a name Rabindranath Tagore gave Babu's grandfather, Sri Nabani Das Khyappa Baul, he also gave him the name Khyappa, before this no Baul was ever called Khyappa Baul, now today we see everybody calling themselves Kyappa Baul.

Babu and Trishula in Vrindavan India 2007

The roots of Baul are deep, and also include wisdom from Buddhism..They accept all roots coming out of India. The Vaishnava Baul's have the deepest roots compared to any other branches of Baul..

Krishnendu Das Baul aka Babukishan in the 80's Energetic fire..

RabindraNath Tagore who was closely associated with Babu's grandfather Nabani Das Baul, Nabani gave Rabindranath the name Robi (Ravi Baul)

Al Aronowitz, the Blacklisted Journalist who introduced Bob Dylan to the Beattles. RIP 2005. Father of Rock and Roll Journalism, Rolling Stones, Washington Post, New York Times Village Voice..

2008 article from the Times of India

Babu's long association with the Rolling Stones, here in Mumbai, he first met Mick Jagger in 1971 at Mick's estate in Nice France.

Babu and long time friend Sally Grossman who started the Baul Archive, the interviews are mostly with Baul singers, not much lineage Baul there.. The man in the background is the legendary Albert B Grossman, who was Sally's husband and Manager to Bob Dylan

Babukishan and long time old friend Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones

American Poet Allen Ginsberg in New York, Allen met Babu's grandfather back in the early 60's, Nabani Das Baul was Allen's Guru..

Radha lives in the heart of the Baul, she is seen as supreme because she has pulling power, without Radha there is no krishna!

The great God intoxicated Saint, devotee of Kali Ma, Ramakrishna, and his devotee the Great India Swami Vikekananda, who started the Vedanta Society.. Babu spent 12 years here as a Vedic monk in Kolkata.

Babu has written lyric for and composed music for, producing over 44 albums. This one in honor of Kali ma